"Well, sir," continued the doctor, "a sailor was handing in, over the side, from a boat which bore the instruments from shore, a great lot of fiddles. When some tenors came into his hand he said those were real good-sized fiddles; and when a violoncello appeared, Jack, supposing it was to be held between the hand and the shoulder, like a violin, declared 'He must be a strapping chap that fiddle belonged to!' But when the double-bass made its appearance, 'My eyes and limbs!' cried Jack, 'I _would_ like to see the chap as plays that!!!'" "Well, doctor, are you done?" cried Murphy; "for, if you are, now for the election. You say, Dick, Major Dawson is to propose your brother-in-law?" "Yes." "And he'll do it well, too; the Major makes a very good straightforward speech." "Yes," said Dick; "the old cock is not a bad hand at it. But I have a suspicion he's going to make a greater oration than usual and read some long rigmarolish old records." "That will never do!" said Murphy, "as long as a man looks Pat _in_ the face, and makes a good rattling speech 'out o' the face,' Pat will listen to him; but when a lad takes to heavy readings, Pat grows tired. We must persuade the Major to give up the reading." "Persuade _my_ father!" cried Dick. "When did you ever hear of his giving up his own opinion?" "If he could be prevailed on even to shorten----" said Murphy. "Oh, leave him to me," said Dick, laughing; "I'll take care he'll not read a word." "Manage that, Dick, and you're a jewel!" "I will," said Dick. "I'll take the glasses out of his spectacles the morning of the nomination, and then let him read, if he can." "Capital, Dick; and now the next point of discussion is----" "Supper, ready to come up, sir," said a servant, opening the door. "Then, that's the best thing we could discuss, boys," said Murphy to his friends--"so up with the supper, Dan. Up with the supper! Up with the Egans! Down with the Scatterbrains--hurrah!--we'll beat them gaily." "Hollow!" said Durfy. "Not hollow," said Dick; "we'll have a tussle for it." "So much the better," cried Murphy; "I would not give a fig for an easy victory--there's no fun in it. Give me the election that is like a race--now one ahead, and then the other; the closeness calling out all the energies of both parties--developing their tact and invention, and, at last, the return secured by a large majority." "But think of the glory of a large one," said Dick. "Ay," added Durfy, "beside crushing the hope of a petition on the part of your enemy to pull down the majority." "But think of Murphy's enjoyment," said the doctor, "in defending the seat, to say nothing of the bill of costs." "You have me there, doctor," said Murphy; "a fair hit, I grant you; but see, the supper is on the table. To it, my lads; to it! and then a jolly glass to drink success to our friend Egan."